For information and assistance on the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA), the MMS offers three options:
On-site Presentations
MMS staff will provide a one hour MACRA presentation including overview of the law, timelines and requirements. Contact Lori DiChiara at 781-434-7215 or at
ldichiara@mms.org to schedule a date and time.
Personalized Assistance
MMS staff will answer your specific queries. Contact the MMS Physician Practice Resource Center at 781-434-7702 or at
pprc@massmed.org.
Immediate Information
See the articles and helpful links below, and
click here for direct access to the MACRA Quality Payment Program details.
2017: A Transition Year
2017 is a transition year to help practices accommodate to MACRA's new Quality Payment Program (QPP).
Choices made in 2017 will affect your payments in 2019.
The "Pick your Pace" program is designed to enroll physicians in the QPP while minimizing penalties for those who were new to reporting quality and other metrics. It should be noted that all physicians in Medicare will receive an annual 0.5 percent fee update in 2016-2019.
Learn about the six options that you can choose from, beginning in 2017.
Medicare Quality Payment Program (QPP) Resources
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
Quality Improvement Organizations
American Medical Association
Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
Medical Group Management Association (MGMA)
Other Specialty Societies
MACRA: What Physicians Need to Know
From the December 2016-January 2017 Vital Signs.
The essence of MACRA is the new Quality Payment Program (QPP), which sets up two payment pathways for physicians and other health care providers. One pathway, the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), creates an enhanced fee-for-service model.
Under MIPS, physicians will receive a MIPS composite score, which is based on their work in four categories: quality, improvement, advancing care information, and cost.
Read the full article.
CMS Releases Final Rule on MACRA
On Friday, October 14, CMS released the final policy implementing the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and the Advanced Alternative Payment Model (APM), incentive payment provisions in the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA), collectively referred to as the Quality Payment Program. The new Quality Payment Program will gradually transform Medicare payments for more than 600,000 clinicians across the country. CMS has
established a new website, explaining the 2,400-page rule and the program, and has provided an
executive summary of the rule. Provisions of the final rule become effective January 1, 2017. MMS is reviewing the entire rule and will be developing materials to help physicians with the implementation of MACRA. When available, MMS materials will be posted on this page.
